Ludwig otto helmers



I UNITED STATES PATENT rricn.

LUDWIG OTTO HELMERS, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO IOHTHYOL GESELLSGI-IAFT, CORDES, HERMANNI & CO., OF SAME PLACE.

IODIN DERIVATIVE OF ICHTHYOL AND THIOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,942, dated April 26, 1898.

Application filed September 10,1897. Serial No. 651,244. (No specimens-l Patented in Germany (Tune 3, 1893, Nos. 76,133 and 80,260; in France October 26,1893,1 To. 233,662; in England October 26, 1893,1lo. 20,245; in Belgium October 26, 1893,1l'0. 106,919; in Italy December3l, 1893,1l'o. 35,098, and in Austria-Hungary March 17,1895, No. 56,910 and lio- 83,153.

To ctZ-Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUDWIG O'rTo HELMERS, a subject of the'German Emperor, residing at Hamburg, in the German Empire, have in- 5 vented a certain new and useful Process of Obtaining Aqueous Solutions of Iodin, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, dated October 26, 1893, No. 20,245; in Belgium,dated October26,l893,No.106,919; 1 o in Austria-Hungary,dated March 17, 1895, No.

56,910 and No. 83,153; in Italy, dated December 31, 1893, No. 35,098; in France, dated October 26, 1893, No. 233,662, and'in Germany Nos. 76,133 and 80,260, both dated June 3, r 5 1893,) of which the following is a specification. In the specification of my Letters Patent of the United States No. 525,784, dated September 11, 1894, I have described the purifi cation of sulfonized-carbon compounds ob- 2o tained by the action of sulfuric acid or its substitutes on hydrocarbons and the separa tion of said sulfonized -carbon compounds into sulfonic-acid salts per se soluble in water and into sulfone-like bodies per se insoluble 2 5 in water. Among the sulfonized-carbon compounds mentioned in the said Letters Patent are those of special importance which are obtained by treating sulfureted hydrocarbons (containing at least five per cent. sulfur) with sulfuric acid or its substitutes and which are known under the name of f ichthyol and thiol. As I have already stated in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, these substances are compositions of difierent bodies, 3 and if theyare treated according to the method described in the said Letters Patent two bodies are obtained, one of which, called in the said Letters Patent sulfone-like body, is insoluble in water as well as in alcohol, but solu- 0 ble in benzene. The other, called sulfonicacid compound, is not only soluble in water, I

as the ichthyol or thiol, but also-and this is the very difference between it and ichthyol and thiol-completely soluble in alcohol. It is, 4 5 however, nearly insoluble in ether or benzene. The manufacture of these two bodies from ichthyol and their respective properties I have fully described by an example in the above-mentioned Letters Patent No. 525,784. Of these two bodies the sulfonic-acid compound possesses an eminent importance by the combinations which it forms with certain bodies insoluble in water. As already stated in my said Letters Patent No. 525,784, the sulfone-like body of ichthyol, though entirely insoluble in water, becomes readily soluble in water when combined with the sulfonicacid compound of ichthyol, and it is this complete solubility that makes the ichthyol so often used as a therapeutic means.

Experimental attempts have now been made to clear up the question whether other bodies insoluble in water which are distinguished by their therapeutic properties could be combined with the sulfonicacid compound of ichthyol or thiol in such a manner that a combination completely soluble in water is obtained. Among other substances I turned my mind to iodin, so often used in therapeutics, and I succeeded to obtain a combination 7o complctelysoluble in water, consisting of iodin and the sulfonic-aoid compound of iohthyol. This combination is obtained by heating iodin and the sulfonic-acid compound with a small quantity of water, best in a closed vessel, or by dissolving the two bodies separately in a suitable solvent, as alcohol, then mixing them and distilling off the solvent afterward. In 7 this manner I succeeded to combine nine parts of the sulfonic-acid compound with one part and more of iodin. The so-obtained combination is a viscid green product of an agreeable scent. It is clearly soluble in water in all proportions without the smallest separation of iodin. 8 5

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of rendering iodin soluble in water, which consists in reacting upon it with a sulfonic-acid compound of a sulfureted hydrocarbon that is soluble in water, such as may be derived from ichthyol or thiol, sub stantially as set forth.

2. The process of rendering soluble in Water iodin by reacting upon it with a compound of a a sulfureted hydrocarbon combined with sul- I furic acid such as may be derived from ichthyol or thiol in such proportions as to render the said iodin soluble in Water, substantially x 5 as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 28th day of August, 1897.

LUDWIG OTTO I-IELMERS.

Witnesses:

ALEXANDER SHECHT, E. H. MUMMENHOFF. 

